Once Upon A Song
by xoElle23
Summary: "From that first moment in the apartment, the moment that feels like a lifetime ago, the very instant that series of notes filled the air she knew it was something special. It only makes sense that everyone falls in love with it instantly. She did." All the use of Outlaws so far in season two is driving me nuts. This is the result. Brallie. Oneshot.


**So, they've been doing a lot with Outlaws so far in season two. Talking about it, performing it, making references to it, and I've pretty much gone insane thus far (when B sang it at the house party I legit lost my shit. Seriously. Check my twitter). So in lieu of that, I was inspired to write this. A little turn of events or 'What If' sort of thing, I suppose. Enjoy.**

**[Fosters]**

'Outlaws' turns out to be a huge hit.

Not that it's really surprising, she knew it would be. From that first moment in the apartment, the moment that feels like a lifetime ago, the very instant that series of notes filled the air she knew it was something special.

It only makes sense that everyone falls in love with it instantly. She did.

Hearing him play that song at the party is one of the easiest, most difficult things she's ever done. And she fully realizes that she's contradicting herself, but it's the truth. It's easy because above all else, she knows he needs this- this moment to put himself out there, to take a leap, to have faith in himself and the world and music again. He needs it more than anything else.

But it also causes a small crack in her heart, because it's their song. The one he wrote for _her_ and for _them_, that only _they_ knew about. It was their little secret hidden from the rest of the world and somehow knowing that secret is no longer just between the two of them… it hurts. Hearing Lou's voice with his mixed together sounds good, she won't lie. But it does sting, because the only voice she ever imagined his harmonizing with on that song was hers.

She deals with it though. Because he needs this. It's the same reason she tells him to use it with the band, really, it's okay, even though in reality it's not okay. Not even a little. But she deals.

Because they've buried the past and moved on and she has Wyatt and even with all of this Robert Quinn stuff her adoption is still going to happen eventually and basically she's going to get everything she's always wanted. Almost. It still hurts.

When the band gets noticed at a local club by a record producer, everyone is ecstatic. Until they're informed it's not Somebody's Little Sister that's piqued the man's interest, it's Outlaws. A demo is taken to an office, where it's listened to by someone's assistant, who passes it to their manager, who passes it to their boss, who passes it to their executive director, and so on and so forth until Brandon is called in for a meeting with a bunch of Very Important People.

They want to buy the song. It can be a huge hit, they say, if given to the right artist. It could mean big things. Awards and fame and all sorts of doors being opened into a brand new lifestyle. And he'd make a lot of money. A lot. Like, _a lot_. That's how bad they want this song.

It seems like a no brainer, which is exactly what she tells him when the entire family is gathered in the living room discussing the proposition. Even though it would hurt like hell, hearing her song, _their_ song on the radio sung by some airhead popstar that would never have a clue as to what the real meaning behind the words were, why they were written, how much they meant. Even though it would kill her to know he could sell something worth so much more than money can buy, it wouldn't be the first time she's turned a blind eye and put on a mask in order to move forward. She can deal. For him, she can deal.

He gets home from his meeting in LA the following week pretty late. Late enough that everyone else is in bed when he walks through the door, save for her small figure hunched over a cup of tea at the kitchen table.

"I thought you'd be in bed by now." He comments, while she only shrugs in response.

"How'd it go?"

Brandon gives a shrug of his own. "It went well."

"Yeah? Did you rush straight to the bank and cash your check so you can start looking at Porches tomorrow?" she teases, causing him to chuckle.

"Nah," He says quietly. "I think I'll be sticking with the momsmobile for the foreseeable future."

"Ah." Callie nods. "College," she says knowingly.

"Not exactly," Brandon murmurs, biting his lip. "It turns out they're not too keen on giving a paycheck when you refuse to sign the contract."

She quickly looks up from her mug. "What?"

"I didn't sign the papers." As if to physically prove this fact he extracts the folded up legal document from his pocket, ripped into three neat strips, and passes it over to her.

"Brandon, why would you do that?" She stutters. "I mean, I get that it's a lot to take in but you have to think rationally about this." Her words come slow, her brain still trying to process the weight of what he's just done. There has to be some way to reverse this. Maybe they can say he was on pain medication or had lost his mind. "You can't just throw something like this away. When Stef and Lena find out-"

"It doesn't matter what they think. This is my decision." He says firmly. "And I don't want to sell the song."

"They offered you money, _a lot_ of money, and all kinds of perks and notoriety and a million other things- this could open so many doors for your career-"

"That's not what I want though." He cuts in, surprisingly calm despite just having thrown away his entire future. "I never wanted to be a songwriter. I wanted to play classical music. Sure, I planned on composing a few pieces down the road, maybe get a small nod or even a solo at the symphony one day, but it was never my dream to hear my songs on the radio. Especially not this one. Nobody was ever supposed to hear this one but you."

What the hell is she supposed to say to that?

"Brandon…"

"Look, playing that song at the party all those months ago was a mistake." Brandon announces. "I was nervous and on the spot and it was the only thing I could think of, so I played it and I've regretted doing so ever since." He admits, clearly angry with himself. "There's only one circumstance I planned on ever performing it with more than just you in the audience, and a stupid party or band rehearsal or random gig at a club weren't it."

Callie stares at him for a moment. She knows she needs to say something, anything to convince him to correct his mistake, but of all the possible responses the only one she's able to get out is, "What was?"

"It doesn't matter." He dismisses with a shake of his head. "Look Callie, I get it. I know that this sounds insane. That I'm passing up a huge opportunity and turning down a lot of money-"

"Because you are!" She exclaims. "Brandon, this sort of thing could change your life-"

"Yeah, but it's not the life that I want." He cuts in. "I never have. I'm not throwing away my future, I'm throwing away something I never wanted in the first place." Brandon sighs. "I wrote Outlaws because I wanted to express how much I love you. So no matter where or how we ended up, or who we ended up with, you'd always have something to remind you that my heart has always been yours. And the best way I know how to do that is on a piano." He shakes his head again. "The money and fame and all the perks don't matter. The only purpose the song ever had was for it to be heard by the intended audience. And that already happened months ago in Daphne's apartment."

For a moment, she stays silent. There are so many things she wants to say, so many things. But doing so would destroy months of work burying things deep inside her soul. Things that, if brought back to surface, would change everyone's lives and undo a lot of decisions that were damn near impossible to make the first time around. And she knows that if she makes that change now, she'll never go back again.

"It's late." Brandon announces after a few minutes without a response. "I should probably head up to bed."

"Brandon," It isn't until he gets nearly halfway up the staircase that Callie finally decides to speak.

He pauses and turns on his heel in order to face her with tired eyes. "Yeah?"

"I'm really glad you didn't sell the song." Her admission comes out as a whisper, and she begins to wonder if the words were loud enough to carry until Brandon's face stretches into a genuine smile.

"Me too."

**[Fosters]**

Outlaws isn't played again after that evening. The band removes it from their set list when Brandon threatens to walk, and he starts writing more songs. Though while generally gathering a positive reaction none are able to achieve the same level of hype, which Brandon is okay with. And despite the frequent requests he gets both from fans of the band and his own circle of friends and family, he doesn't budge.

"It just doesn't make any sense." Mariana complains one evening during family night. "It was the best thing you've ever written."

"It was our favorite, B." Stef adds. "Won't you play it one more time for us? Please love?"

"I'll play it again," Brandon assures them calmly. "But not until the right time."

"Well when's that gonna be?" His sister demands. "Can we get a timeframe here?"

Brandon shrugs.

"That's not really up to me."

"What does that even mean?"

"It means I'm waiting." He says simply, causing Mariana to nearly jump out of her chair.

"For what?!"

"The intended circumstance." Callie mutters quietly, earning a small smile.

"Exactly."

**[Fosters]**

Eventually, after enough time, the requests stop entirely as people give up hope of hearing the crowd favorite ever again. Until one fateful day years later when the entire family is gathered in the Fosters backyard and a familiar string of notes filters into the air.

_I took you at your word__  
__When you said you would steal my heart__  
__Yeah, this might sound absurd__  
__But would you be my thief__  
__Take all of me, every part_

Immediately everyone's heads snap towards Brandon where he sits at his keyboard.

_I think we might be outlaws__  
__I think I might be in love__  
__'Cause I'm all out of reasons__  
__Like seasons, winter, summer, fall__  
__They're all washed up__  
__If you're still way over there__  
__Maybe slide on in, by my side_

"Oh my god." Mariana breathes, causing both her mothers to look her way in confusion.

"What is it, baby?"

"I get it now." The younger girl gestures around her. "This is the right time."

'_Cause I'm just an outlaw__  
__Wanted, if you want me__  
__I love you every day__ a__nd every night _

A wave of understanding slowly begins to wash across both women's faces.

Stef shakes her head. "Now how in the world did we miss that?"

"There's a lot to be said for refusing to acknowledge what you don't want to see." Her partner murmurs quietly. "You know, thinking back on it, it was right there from day one."

_Love, love, love is my crime__  
__So baby, come catch me__  
__And let's do the time_

They all watch with a mix of shock and awe as the song plays on, eyes trained on Brandon whose gaze stays solely on the object of his affection.

_Baby, we're just outlaws__  
__Baby, I'm so in love__  
__'Cause I'm all out of reasons__  
__Like seasons, winter, summer, fall__  
__They're all washed up__  
__If you're still way over there__  
__Maybe slide on in, by my side__  
__'Cause I'm just an outlaw__  
__Wanted, if you want me_  
_I love you every day and every night_

Applause quickly breaks out as Brandon rises from the bench, giving a few polite nods of thanks as he strides across the yard and pulls his new bride in for a deep kiss.

"The intended circumstance." She murmurs, a bright smile stretched across her face when they finally break apart.

"Exactly." Brandon pecks her lips one more time before turning to the expectant crowd. "Thank you. I know most of you probably remember that as Outlaws, but I think from now on we'll stick to the original title. That was Callie's Song."

**end.**

**Meh, I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. Oh well. Reviews would be lovely.**


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